Starting device.



E. GREBY.

STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1914.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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E. GRBY.

STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IULYG, I914. I

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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E. GREBY.

STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1914.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rbllllll E. GREBY.

STARTING DEVlCE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 19l4.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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[fitness 65 ERNEST GREBY, OF ISSY, FRANCE.

STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed July 6, 1914. Serial No. 849,205.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST GnBY, a citizenof the French Republic, and resident of Issy, France, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention has for its object to provide a device by means of whichany internal combustion motor for automobiles, flying machines and thelike may be started by means of an automatically working mechanicaldevice actuated by a blade spring with dynamic compensating means havinga relatively high power and suppleness.

The automatic starting device may be controlled by hand andautomatically in an absolutely concealed and simple manner.

The plate spring may be brought under tension immediately after it hasworked and maintained in a fully tensioned position. Said spring is ableto impart to the motor shaft a speed of four revolutions in the second.

The automobile or the like may be braked progressively and automaticallyuntil the wheels are jammed, by means of a key, when the driver leavesthe automobile or the like, the braked vehicle or motor being fullyfixed in such a manner that nobody can operate the automatic startingdevice when he is not in possession of the key. These keys based on thesame principle may be of different shape and dimensions according to thenature of the apparatus. The brake works progressively and is verysupple and powerful, and also absolutely automatic, so that it may beapplied in case of emergency.

The device is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a view. partly in section, of the left side part of theautomatic barring engine up to line AA. Fig. 2 is a view partly insection of the right side part of the same; Fig. 3 is a top view showingthe connecting means of the laminated steel blade spring forming theresilient link of the spring. Fig. 4 is a top view of the left sideportion of the barring engine up to line B-B. Fig. 5 is the right sideportion of same.

The starting device comprises a plate spring R connected with a drum R.by means of a resilient organ formed of a plurality of laminated steelstrips 3, able to be readily wrapped around said drum. The number ofstrips depends from the power of axis of the drum and its diameter aredetermined by the arc KJ (Fig. 3) of a dy namic compensator. The springR and the dynamic compensator form the starting device.

The compensator comprises: a drum R operated by the plate spring R andkeyed on a. shaft L; a lever K rigidly connected with shaft L; a slideor lever J transmitting the action of spring R and the rotary motion ofthe drum R; through the interposition of lever K, to a second devicecomprising: a toothed wheel H loosely mounted on a shaft L at the upperend of which is loosely mounted a pulley P. The shaft L forms thesupport and center of rotation of the slide or lever J and the fulcrumof the lever arm of the power, because the pulley P forms the center ofrotation and the support of the slide or lever J when the lattertransmits the power imparted by the lever K at J to a rail I by theintermediate of a roller L. A toothed wheel H engages wheel H rotatableon the fixed shaft L. The force or power exerted on the pitch circle ofsaid wheel H is constant, owing to the dynamic compensator. Effectivelythe loose pulley P forms continuously the center of rotation oi theslide J and also the center of the sliding motion of same. Now saidslide J, by means of its end part J and by means of a pivot integralwith said part and on which is hinged the free end of lever K, isconnected with drum R and receives the uniformly decreasing strains ofthe spring R. By its opposite end J provided with a pivot on which isloosely mounted the roller I, the slide .T operates the toothed wheel Hby pressing on the rail I which is integral with said wheel H. Thelength of rail I and its direction is that of a radius of wheel H.Spring R is calculated so as to furnish a relatively high power when itis released, with a loss of tension of a kilogram by square inch; thatthe work of the slide and the point of resistance to be determined onthe pitch circle of wheel H, are considered as constant at every startof the motor. The end of lever K is the point where the power isapplied, and when the slide J is considered as a lever K T T and thepulley l as the fulcrum. the power transmitted to the pitch circle ofwheel H, at the Starting of the motion, is in an inverted proportion toand gives the value of the constant force which should be kept up duringthe releasing of spring R and applied on the pitch circle of H. Duringthe working of the starting device the pulley 1 runs along the rail Iand comes nearer the fulcrum P which is the center of wheel H and movessame in the direction of the arrow: during the same time the end K oflever K moves along the arc K J which is the line formed by the ends ofthe lever arms increasing from K to K, so as to continuously balance theresistance, which latter remains constant at the various starts of thestarting device, whatever may be the degree of tension of R ()wmg to thedynamic compensator,

the driving shaft of the motor is operated by spring R" with the samepower and speed from beginning to end of the spring effort. The maximumnumber of revolutions imparted to the driving shaft by the startingdevice'before it should be tensioned again, is ten.

The constant power is transmitted by the wheel H to the pinion I'I keyedon a shaft L on which is also keyed a bevel wheel (lr engaging a wheelG. The shaft L is 1'0- tated by the wheel H. \Vheel G is keyed on asteel sleeve E loosely mounted on a shaft L. The portion of sleeve Eopposite to pinion G is provided with clutches engaging correspondingclutches provided on a sleeve E slidingly mounted on shaft L Theopposite end of sleeve E is flat; on said fiat end bear rollers of adisengaging fork D. A spring R secures the engaging of both sleeves E, Eon the shaft L is keyed a helical wheel X operated by a nonreversibleworm V, whereby said worm operates all the above described parts, andproduces the releasing or tension of the laminated spring R". The springR" cannot operate thev starting device when the disengaging of thesleeve has not been done, because the reaction of R is exerted on the.pinion X which latter cannot operate the worm V l'iecause the latter isnot reversible. The barring device is thus in its position of rest andready to work. The motor or driving shaft is started by means of twochain wheels, one of which, F, is secured on the sleeve E on which iskeyed the wheel G, said latter parts forming a whole loosely mounted onshaft L The second chain Wheel is mounted on the connecting sleeve Floosely mounted on the hollow shaft of the cone engaging the fly wheelof the motor.

The sprocket wheel F is carried upon the sleeve. I and is keyed forrotation therewith by means of two projections F secured on or integralwith said wheel and engaging corresponding longitudinal grooves providedin said sleeve F (Fig. 3). Thus it will be seen the clutch sleeve F iscapable of longitudinal movement upon the main drive shaft of thevehicle and is operated by a shifting means to be presentlydescribethand the movement of the sprocket F with the clutch sleeve isprevented because of the resistance against throwing the said sprocketand the sprocket F out of alinement with each other when connected by achain (not shown). This clutch casing on the motor shaft is controlledby means of a pedal F maintained in the position of rest (Figs. 1 and 3)by means of a strong spring R acting against spring R and operating afork F which, when at rest, is applied by means of two rollers againstthe circular face of the clutch part F and compresses the spring R.lVhen operating the pedal F, fork F is disengaged from the face ofeasing F, spring R acts upon said face and applies same on the clutchpart I. thus prmlucing the connection between the motor shaft and thebarring device.

The shaft V to which is keyed the worm V, is hollow and is provided witha pin or projection engaged by a groove of a shaft V the upper end (l ofwhich is square. Its opposite end receives and maintains a lever Qoperating the blocking brake which will be hereinafter described.

On shaft V is keyed a disk plate D which operates mechanism D D. Shaft Vmoves vertically within a shaft V andis only maintained in position bymeans of the springs R, R. On shaft V is further mounted a bevel gearwheel T engaging a similar wheel secured to a sprocket wheel S andloosely mounted on a shaft secured to the frame of the apparatus. Thewheel S, by means of a chain, operates and is operated by means of asecond wheel S keyed to a shaft N The automatic retensioning device isformed by the shaft N wheels S and S, the bevel gear wheels T, theclutch device N, N and a pulley O. ()n the. clutch part N is engaged oneof the lever arms M, M, the other arm of which extends laterally withres 'iect to the wheel ll into the path of a projection or stud Msecured on said wheel H. \Vhen the latter rotates an -angle of 10degrees, the lever is disengaged,

use of the key A, which should will be tensioned. T he strain on theworm V is about 1% kilos. N, N are disengaged by M.

The safety key A controlling the starting device is a removablecombination key. For winding up the spring R by hand, the key A isintroduced into the sleeve B Said sleeve is made of bronze and isprovided at the lower third part of its length with three short ribshaving different shapes and sizes, and symmetrically disposed insidesaid sleeve B at B. Immediately below the ribs B slides the hollow shaftV having a square or any other geometrically shaped end C, (except acylindrical one). hen introducing the key A, the grooves of shaft Asuccessively engage the corresponding ribs B after which a square recessprovided at the end of the key, engages the square (I of hollow shaft V.\Vhen the key is wholly introduced, the key handle is turned by hand,whereby the worm V rotates and the spring R is tensioned.

The lower end of shaft V is provided with two small annular jaws,between which is pivoted one of the arms of the cranked lever Q,connected by means of three links Q and two further levers Q and Q to alever Q keyed on a shaft Z supported on both its ends by means of smallbearings mounted on the bars of the frame.

WVhen the key A is withdrawn from sleeve B the spring R supporting thedisk plate B, acts on the latter, which raises the hollow shaft V andthe lever Q. in combination with the spring R, operates the mechanism Q,Q, Q Q The shaft Z is rotated 30 degrees together with an are shapedrack Qj" slidable on shaft Z but prevented from rotating on same. Saidrack compresses a coil spring R of square section engaged around theshaft and is resiliently applied against a toothed crown integral withthe brake drum P of the change speed gear or fixed onto same. When theteeth of the rack Q. register with the hollows of the toothed crown, thepitch of which is equal to that of the rack, the coupling is operated,and when the automobile is not running, the latter is so to say locked;the change speed gear can no longer work and the rear wheels areblocked. If however in case of emergency the change speed gear isoperated, the coupling will be done automatically as above stated, butthe rack, carried with the toothed crown of Z (Fig. 1) compresses thespring R and progressively brakes the brake drum of the change speedgear until the automobile is wholly stopped. Nobody is able to startagain the automobile without making be engaged into the sleeve at thefirst step. The second step corresponds to the position of the key forstarting.

For starting the above described automatic starting device, two motionsare required: first the driver operates the pedal lever F for coupling Fand F, that is to say, for coupling the driving shaft with the barringdevice, then the driver presses on the top A of the key for pushing thedisk plate D downward, the latter operating the deviijce D D andproducing the uncoupling at The various parts of the starting devicebeing no more influenced by the worm V,

the motion of said device is transmitted to the driving shaft of themotor by the intermediate of F F. The pedal F and key A may bemaintained in the lowered position until the motor starts. But in viewof the speed imparted to the driving shaft and of the centrifugal forceof the fly wheel, the starting device may be stopped after half a.revolution, the fly wheel alone proceeds starting the motor, providedthat the motor is not yet started.

For stopping the starting device, and before releasing the pedal lever Fand the key A, it is necessary, for avoiding shocks during the couplingof E and the uncoupling of F and 1 to brake the spring R With thisobject in view, use is made of the uncoupling pedal of the automobile,which uncouples the motor and pushes the sleeve, on which is secured thecoupling cone, against a part Gr fixed to the change speed gear andhaving its face, adjacent to that of F coated with a disk made offibers. The part F, which is carried with the sleeve and the wheel I,being secured onto the sleeve of the cone, the mechanism of the startingdevice is progressively braked together with spring It. At this instantthe key A is released by the driver and moves upward in its position ofrest and E is coupled again. Finally both pedals are released. Thesemotions only require several seconds and little attention. For blockingthe automobile, the key A is simply withdrawn. For unblocking, the keyis engaged downwardly to the first step or stop of the key, provided onthe fixed sleeve B.

Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A starting device for internal combustion engines including aresilient element for accumulating energy, means for placing and holdingthe element under strain including a clutch and worm gears, means forreleasing said element. means for transmitting the expending energy ofthe element when released to the engine shaft, and means in saidtransmitting means for regulating the expenditure of energy whereby theturning effort on the engine shaft is kept constant throughout thereleasing period of the resilient element.

2. A starting device for internal combustion engines including aresilient element, means for placing the element under strain, holdingmeans for retaining the elementunder strain, said latter means includinga clutch and worm gears, key operated means for releasing the holdingmeans, means for imparting the accumulated energy of theresilientelement when released to the engine shaft for rotating thesame, and means for increasing the application of power to the engineshaft as the energy of the resilient element is expended. said meansincluding a rotative member and a system of oscillating leverscooperating with said member.

3. A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient element,manually operated means for placing and holding the element understrain, means for releasing the resilient member, a pulley, a flexibleelement connecting the resilient member with the pulley whereby saidpulley is rotated when the resilient member is released, a

driving gear, means on the pulley for engaging the driving gear forrotating the same, said means being adapted to act upon the gear withvarious degrees of effort so as to maintain'the rotating speed of thedriving gear constant throughout the releasing period of the resilientmember, and means connecting the driving gear with the motor shaft forrotating the same.

4. A starting device. for motor vehicles including a resilient element,means for placing and holding said element under st ain, means forreleasing said holding means, a pulley, a flexible band connecting theresilient member with the periphery of the pulley, a lever mounted forrotation with the pulley, a driving gear, a radial projection on thedriving gear, a link pivoted at one end to an extremity of the lever, aroller on the forward end of the link adapted to engage the projection,and means for connecting the driving gear with the motor shaft. 4

A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient member, meansfor placing and holding the member under strain, means for releasing theholding means, a shaft, a pulley mounted on the shaft, a flexible bandconnecting the resilient member with the 'icriphery of the pulley, alever fixed to the pulley shaft, a spur gear eccentrically mounted inrelation to the pulley shaft, a radial projection on the driving gear, ayoke adapted to reciprocate diametrically across the face of the drivinggear, said yoke being pivoted at one end to the free end of the lever, apulley mounted on the other end of the yoke for engagement with theradial projection, and means for connecting the driving gear with themotor shaft.

6. A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient member,means for placing the resilient member under tension which comprises aworm shaft, a worm wheel meshing therewith and having a worm wheelshaft, a bevel gear on said shaft, a second bevel gear meshingtherewith, a spur gear adapted to rotate with said second bevel gear, asecond spur gear adapted to mesh with said first mentioned spur gear, apulley, variable means connecting the pulley with the last mentionedgear, and a flexible member connecting the pulley with the resilientmember, and means connecting the gearing with the motor shaft.

7. A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient member,gearing between the resilient member and the motor shaft, means forplacing the resilient member under strain comprising a tubular lockcasing provided with Wards, said casing being adapted to receive a keyprovided with a crank ,arm, a worm shaft having one end projecting intothe lock casing and forming engaging means with the key, a Worm Wheelmeshing with said worm and having a shaft and a gear on said shaft forconnection with the aforesaid gearing whereby upon insertion of the keyand rotating the same the resilient member may be placed under strain.

8. A. starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient member,a. pulley, a flexible band connecting the resilient member with thepulley, a spur gear, variable means connecting the pulley with the spurgear, a second spur gear meshing with said first gear, a bevel gearadapted to rotate with said second gear, a second bevel gear adapted tomesh with said first bevel gear, a shaft for said second bevel gear, aclutch on said shaft, means for normally holding the clutch inengagement. means adapted to be manually operated for rotating saidclutch shaft to place the tensional member under strain, a sprocket onsaid shaft, a sliding sleeve mounted upon the motor shaft, a secondsprocket mounted on said sleeve, and a chain connecting the twosprockets.

9. A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient member,manually operated means for placing the member under strain,automatically operated means for replacing the member under straincomprising a pulley mounted on the motor shaft, a sec ond pulley mountedupon a counter-shaft, a flexible band connecting the two pulleys,gearing connecting the counter-shaft with the resilient member forplacing the resilient member under strain when said countershaft isrotated, a clutch on the countershaft which when in released positionpermits said shaft to rotate freely, and means on the gearing forcausing the release of said clutch.

10. A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient memberfor accumulating energy, means for imparting the accumulated energy tothe motor shaft, key operated means for placing the resilient memberunder strain, a pulley mounted on the motor shaft and having a gearformed thereon, means ope 'ated by the pulley for automatically placingthe resilient member under strain, a shaft mounted adjacent the gear, arack bar splined to the shaft for engagement with the gear, a coilspring on the shaft for resisting sliding movement of the rack bar, atoothed segment which meshes with said rack bar, a link connecting thesegment with the resilient member, means operated by the aforesaid keyfor rotating the shaft to cause engagement between the rack bar and thegear pulley whereby the same is locked against rotation.

11. A starting device for motor vehicles including a resilient memberfor accumulating energy, compensating gearing for imparting accumulatedenergy to the motor shaft, a key controlled manually operated shaft forplacing the resilient member under strain, a pulley 0n the motor shaft,a counter-shaft, a pulley on the counter shaft, means for connecting thetwo pulleys, a sprocket wheel on the counter shaft, a jack shaft havinga sprocket, a chain connecting the sprockets, gearing connecting thejack shaft with the manually operated shaft, a clutch on the countershaft whereby said shaft may be rotated freely when the clutch isdisengaged, means for normally holding the clutch out of engagement, agear formed on the motor shaft, a pulley having teeth, means forengaging said teeth to lock the pulley against rotation, a system ofhell cranks and levers for operating said engaging means, the primarymember of said bell crank system being operated by the manually operatedshaft.

12. A starting device for motor vehicles comprising in combination asleeve slidably mounted on the motor shaft, a co-acting clutch memberfixed to the motor shaft, foot operated means for causing engagement ofthe clutch members, a sprocket on the sliding sleeve, a second sprocket,a chain connecting the sprockets, a resilient member for accumulatingenergy, gearing connecting the second sprocket with the resilient memberwhereby the motor shaft is rotated when the resilient member isexpending its accumulated energy, manually and automatically operatedmeans for placing the member under strain, a pulley on the motor shaftfor supplying power to the automatically operating means, means forlocking the pulley against rotation, said means being operated by themanually operated means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ERNEST GREBY. l/Vitnesses:

G. G. COTESMAN, CHAs. Roy NASMITI-I.

